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Word Study
beef
CIDE DICTIONARY
beef, n. [OE. boef, befe, beef, OF. boef, buef, F. b, fr. L. bos, bovis, ox; akin to Gr. boy^s, Skr. g cow, and E. cow. See 2d Cow.].
- An animal of the genus
Bos , especially the common species,Bos taurus , including the bull, cow, and ox, in their full grown state; esp., an ox or cow fattened for food."[In this, which is the original sense, the word has a plural, beeves(b " [1913 Webster].] "A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine." [1913 Webster] - The flesh of an ox, or cow, or of any adult bovine animal, when slaughtered for food."[In this sense, the word has no plural.]" Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Applied colloquially to human flesh. [1913 Webster]
beef, a.
Of, pertaining to, or resembling, beef. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
beef, n. & v.
--n.
1 the flesh of the ox, bull, or esp. the cow, for eating.
2 colloq. well-developed male muscle.
3 (pl. beeves or US beefs) a cow, bull, or ox fattened for beef; its carcass.
4 (pl. beefs) sl. a complaint; a protest.
--v.intr. sl. complain.
--n.
1 the flesh of the ox, bull, or esp. the cow, for eating.
2 colloq. well-developed male muscle.
3 (pl. beeves or US beefs) a cow, bull, or ox fattened for beef; its carcass.
4 (pl. beefs) sl. a complaint; a protest.
--v.intr. sl. complain.
Idiom
beef tea stewed extract of beef, given to invalids. beef up sl. strengthen, reinforce, augment. beef-wood
1 any of various Australian and W. Indian hardwood trees.
2 the close-grained red timber of these.
1 any of various Australian and W. Indian hardwood trees.
2 the close-grained red timber of these.
Etymology
ME f. AF, OF boef f. L bos bovis ox
THESAURUS
beef
Brahman, Indian buffalo, air a grievance, altercation, amperage, arm, armipotence, aurochs, authority, avoirdupois, beef cattle, beef extract, beef tea, beefiness, beefing, beeves, bellyache, bellyaching, bickering, bison, bitch, bitching, black power, bleat, blow off, boggle, bossy, bouillon, bovine, bovine animal, boycott, brawl, brawn, brawniness, brute force, buffalo, bull, bullock, bully, bully beef, calf, call in question, carabao, cattle, challenge, charge, charisma, charqui, chipped beef, clamor, clout, cogence, cogency, complain, complaining, complaint, compulsion, compunction, cow, crab, critter, croak, cry out against, dairy cattle, dairy cow, deadweight, demonstrate, demonstrate against, demonstration, demur, demurrer, destructive criticism, dint, dispute, dissent, dogie, dried beef, drive, duress, effect, effectiveness, effectuality, elasticity, energy, enter a protest, exception, expostulate, expostulation, falling-out, fatness, faultfinding, flower power, force, force majeure, forcefulness, fret, fret and fume, full blast, full force, fuss, gravity, grievance, grievance committee, gripe, griping, groan, groaning, gross weight, grouch, ground beef, grouse, grousing, growl, grumble, grumbling, grunt, hamburger, heaviness, heft, heftiness, heifer, holler, hornless cow, howl, huskiness, indignation meeting, influence, involuntary muscle, jerky, kick, kicking, kine, leppy, liveweight, lodge a complaint, main force, main strength, mana, march, maverick, might, might and main, mightiness, milch cow, milcher, milk cow, milker, moxie, muley cow, muley head, murmur, murmuring, muscle, muscle power, muscularity, musculature, musk-ox, mutter, neat, neat weight, net, net weight, nonviolent protest, object, objection, overbalance, overweight, ox, oxen, pastrami, peeve, peevishness, pet peeve, petulance, physique, picket, picketing, pizzazz, ponderability, ponderosity, ponderousness, poop, potence, potency, potentiality, poundage, power, power pack, power structure, power struggle, powerfulness, prepotency, press objections, productiveness, productivity, protest, protest demonstration, protestation, puissance, pull, punch, push, qualm, querulousness, raise a howl, rally, register a complaint, remonstrance, remonstrate, remonstration, rhubarb, roast beef, salt beef, scolding, scruple, sinew, sinewiness, sinews, sit in, sit-in, sniping, squabble, squawk, squawking, state a grievance, steam, steer, stirk, stot, strength, strike, strong arm, suet, superiority, superpower, take on, teach in, teach-in, thew, thewiness, thews, tiff, tone, tonnage, underweight, validity, vehemence, vigor, vim, virility, virtue, virulence, vitality, voluntary muscle, wattage, weight, weightiness, whining, wisent, yak, yammer, yap, yapping, yawp, yearling, yell bloody murder, yelp, zebuROGET THESAURUS
beef
Food
N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.Also see definition of "beef" in Bible Study Dictionaries
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